Everyone's complaining about gas prices: consumers at the pump, news anchors and magazines. Not a day goes by that analysts don't predict the next surge in prices. Five dollars by the end of the year? Seven dollars in the next two? No one seems to know when prices will reach a ceiling (if ever), and commuters are looking for ways to cut corners.

Scooter sales have been on the rise lately, doubling their figures in the past 12 months. I won't spend time extolling the virtues of scooter ownership, suffice to say that many small scooters can average 75-100+ MPG. However, with so many brands out there ranging from the well-known (Vespa, Piaggio) to the obscure (Eagle, Rocket and a dozen others), finding and comparing scooter brands can be difficult and elusive.

Of course the Italian and Japanese scooters are at the top of the list: quality that you pay for. Vespa and Piagio can average $4,500 or more for an entry-level scooter, and Honda tops out around $3,000-$5,000. Spending that kind of money doesn't seem like an efficient way to save at the pump, but buying a cheap knockoff isn't a good solution either.

Allow me to offer an alternative: Kymco. Kymco is a Taiwanese company owned by Kwang Yang Motor Company, Ltd., that has been in business since 1963. They sell solid, inexpensive scooters that aren't impossible to maintain. One of the main things you want to consider when buying a scooter is availability of parts. If your scooter breaks, you want to be able to get service and replacement components quickly and easily. Kymco USA has dealers across the nation, meaning that there is likely one in your area where you can have your bike serviced. Visit their Web site, strmotorsports dot com, to see for yourself

Finally, there's the topic of models. The Kymco Agility 50 is a great scooter, which retails for about $1,500. I currently own a 2002 Kymco Yup 50, the Agility's predecessor, and have been very pleased with its performance. Apart from some stylistic upgrades, the bikes are essentially the same. Kymco also has its People line of scooters, available in 50cc, 125cc, 150cc, 200cc and 250cc models. All are reasonably priced at far less than their Japanese counterparts and offer the same quality. My scooter, which has about 10,000 miles, still gets about 100 MPG with one person riding and 80 MPG with two persons. It costs about $5 to fill the tank.

Kymco is a great alternative to higher-end scooters and cheap models that are impossible to service. If you're looking for a scooter, be sure to check out this exceptional, lesser-known brand.

Thanks for reading. If you found this guide helpful, please vote "yes" at the bottom of this page. Otherwise, happy scootering and stay safe on the road.